| 1 |
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into little bits and rub into the flour with the fingertips to make a coarse meal. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the eggs. Stir with a fork to mix and add enough water (about 1 tablespoon) to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead until the pastry is elastic. A food processor may be used to mix and knead the dough; spin until the dough forms a ball. Cover and allow to stand for 1 hour. Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/16 inch, cut into 3-inch rounds with a cookie cutter, or a glass, and stuff with 2 teaspoons of any of the fillings. Moisten the edges with water or milk, fold over, and press together. Seal with the tines of a fork. I sometimes put a small piece of sliced hardboiled egg and a slice of black or green olive on top of the filling, a very popular touch in Brazil. |
| 2 |
TO FRY: Pour enough oil into a fryer or saucepan to reach a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat to moderate, 350 to 360 F. on a frying thermometer. An easy way to check the temperature is to stir the oil with wooden chopsticks, then wait to see if tiny bubbles form on the sticks. If they do, the temperature is right. Fry the turnovers, a few at a time, until golden brown, turning once, cooking a total of 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. |